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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28253865">Better than a Ring (A Holiday Promise)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somebodys_Nightmare/pseuds/Somebodys_Nightmare'>Somebodys_Nightmare</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A moment of angst, Childhood Memories, Christmas Fluff, Cloti Secret Santa, Cloud Strife is a Simp, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Flashbacks, Fluff, Gift Fic, Holidays, Memories, Romance, Romantic Fluff, This is the only time I will ever write anything rated T, Tooth-Rotting Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:15:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,441</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28253865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somebodys_Nightmare/pseuds/Somebodys_Nightmare</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cloud gets stuck in a snowstorm on Yule Eve, and a little push from old friends and the emergence of cherished memories help him make a bold decision when he finds the perfect gift for Tifa.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Better than a Ring (A Holiday Promise)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Holidays to all my Cloti friends, no matter how you celebrate!</p>
<p>This fic was a gift for the lovely Bolina as part of the FH discord Secret Cloti Santa event!   It was in response to the prompts: <i>Warmth, Devotion,</i> and <i>Home</i> </p>
<p>Bolina, I hope you enjoyed it! </p>
<p>Please trust me when I say this will probably be the first and last time I write anything that isn't rated E, I was so so tempted lol but rules are rules.  Not apologizing, it's clear by now that I am trash.</p>
<p>Anyway, hope you enjoy the toothache from this!  Sorry if it's a little cheesy and cliche, but this <i>is</i> the holiday season, after all!!  Just pretend you're watching this on the Hallmark channel, lmao.</p>
<p>Also, this was, like, minorly inspired by A Christmas Carol. Like just a sprinkle.</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span> Better Than a Ring (A Holiday Promise)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For Bolina</span>
</p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Damnit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The swear left Cloud’s lips just as he toed Fenrir’s kickstand in the small lot at the rear of the Kalm Inn.  His admonishment had been directed towards the thick, whipping puffs of white that were assailing him from every direction, biting his skin and soaking through the sleeves of his sweater with their damp coldness.  Already, the streets were covered in a thick layer of iced-over snow, the cobblestone invisible beneath the shining pale sheets.  The roads had long ago been abandoned, and as the sky continued to grow darker, the wind picked up speed, the flurries forming into fat flakes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud knew he was screwed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Yule Eve, a little after seven that evening.  The last-minute holiday rush had backed him up with deliveries, and the unexpected turn of the weather when he’d left Junon that morning had caught him off guard.  He had planned out his routes with the hopes of hitting Fort Condor and then Kalm before six, his intention to return to Edge to be home for dinner.  But the weatherman had been woefully off target, and the storm had only grown more violent and unpredictable as the hours wore on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And now, he was stuck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud swore again, swinging his leg off of Fenrir as he killed the engine.  As much as he wanted to take the risk, he knew that there was truly no way that he could chance driving the next fifty or so miles to Edge at this hour during an icy blizzard.  And as much as he knew Tifa would be disappointed with him for missing dinner and their Yule Eve celebration together with the kids, he knew she’d be even angrier if he managed to kill himself trying to get home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Tifa</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  Thinking of her, he cursed himself repeatedly as he held up his hand in front of his face to shield it from the snowfall, pushing his way inside of the inn’s heavy wooden doors, the warmth of the hearth in the main living room instantly greeting him.  It had only been a few months since he’d returned home from his bout with Geostigma, since his inexorable guilt had left him accepting death as punishment for all of his sins of the past. But in those months, he had begun to slowly make repairs to everything that had been damaged during his absence.  He spent more time with the kids, and they were opening up to him again.  He didn’t work quite as hard or as many long hours, trying his best to be home for dinner and to have at least Sundays off to spend the day with his family.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tifa</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  He was trying with Tifa, in every way that he could.  She had been so accepting and forgiving, opening her arms to him, letting him cry away the mistakes and the failures of the past, allowing him to confess his true feelings to her in as many words as he could summon while his actions and the movements of his body did the rest of the talking.  He moved back into their bedroom, sleeping next to her nightly with his arms wrapped around her as if he were afraid that she might slip away into the ether if he ever let her go again.  He made love to her almost nightly, their shared, tender passions exchanged with muffled sighs as they both quietly relearned one another again.  They woke up to each other’s smiles, fingertips brushing across skin before they rose for their personal routines for the day, Tifa always making sure that Cloud had a hot thermos of black coffee ready to go before he left the house.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had been trying, and he was finally beginning to feel like he had arrived home, that he could accept the happiness that had folded over his life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the holiday season had assaulted him with more work than he had been prepared for.  In the past, it never really mattered to him how much he threw himself into work; he had been content with the hours and hours of long, endless drives, losing himself across the continents as he delivered packages.  He had never been a big fan of holidays and celebrations, and in those early days following Meteorfall, Tifa had not pushed him about it.  They all had other things to worry about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, though, was a different story.  Now, Cloud wanted to be home with his family.  He was annoyed that he had been working late the past couple of weeks to keep up with the backlog, often missing dinner with Tifa and the kids, spending far less time with them, and even having to give up a few of his precious Sundays.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And now, he was stuck in Kalm during a snowstorm, miles away from his family on the advent of the holiday he knew they were all looking forward to spending together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Cloud made his way to the concierge to book a room for the night, he realized that all of this was compounded by the fact that he hadn’t purchased a gift for Tifa yet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Stupid</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Yule Eve, and blizzard or no, he’d waited until the very last minute to pick up a gift for her.  He’d let Tifa handle the shopping for the kids, giving her gil to pick up gifts, but somewhere, in the back of his mind, he’d thought he’d still have plenty of time after his deliveries to pick up a last-minute gift for her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though, he admitted to himself, he had no idea what to even give her, and that was a huge part of his problem.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He accepted the key from the concierge and begrudgingly made his way up the stairs, finding his room at the far end of the hallway.  By the time he made his way inside and shut the door, the wetness from the precipitation outside had seeped fully through his clothing, leaving him with a frigid chill that was reaching his bones.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, he first began to disrobe, leaving everything on the back of a chair in front of the small coal-burning stove in one corner of the room that was keeping everything warm.  He had no change of clothes, so he wrapped himself in a robe he found in the bathroom, running his hands through his damp, cold hair as he looked down at his PHS, wincing at the phone call he had to make.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What a disappointment he was still turning out to be, he thought to himself as he stared down at the screen, Tifa’s number highlighted by the cursor.   This was the time of year when he should be giving his family his best self, not missing out on their first Yule together because he couldn’t properly manage his own schedule.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Goddamnit</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sighed, pressing the send button on the device, holding it up to his ear and closing his eyes as he waited.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cloud,” Tifa answered on the first ring, as if she had been sitting by the phone waiting for his call.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which she probably was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which made him feel worse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Teef,” Cloud responded, shaking his head where he sat, and he realized that his tongue was now stuck in his throat and that he couldn’t summon the rest of the words he wanted to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you almost home?” Her voice was bright and hopeful, but still laced with its deep honey, that natural husk that always sent him to the moon, especially when she breathed its sound right beside his ear as she shared a gentle and loving sentiment with him.  It had him longing to be with her, the ache in his chest expanding with a heat that flooded his entire being, and suddenly, he was even more miserable than he’d been when he was standing outside in the middle of the snowstorm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” he started, but his words caught in the center of his throat as he swallowed and tried to push them out.  He shook his head again, and, completely frustrated with himself, laid back across the bed, slamming his head against the mattress.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was beginning to worry, because of the weather - “</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I got stuck,” Cloud cut Tifa off, wincing at the tentative concern in her voice.  It made him angry with himself.  How could he continue to be such a screw-up, after everything that had happened?  This stupid holiday had been his one opportunity to show that he had finally gotten things right, that he had truly put his past behind him, and that he could make the future everything that she and their entire family deserved.  “In the storm… I had to stop in Kalm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tifa was silent for a moment, and Cloud pinched his eyes closed, his heart pounding with dread.  And then, “Are you okay?  Are you safe?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud sighed, sitting back up and folding one arm in his lap.  “Yeah, I’m okay, Tifa.  I’m at an inn.  I’ll… have to wait out the storm.  I…. I’m really sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s okay,” Tifa immediately responded, though Cloud didn’t miss the disappointment in her voice.  “As long as you’re safe.  We’ll be here waiting for you, Cloud.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her concern and thoughtfulness only made him more vexed at himself.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course,</span>
  </em>
  <span> she was brushing off his ineptitude and insisting everything was okay.  She never let him feel too bad about anything, was always trying to reassure him.  It boiled him up sometimes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, it’s not okay, Tifa,” he insisted.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Time to take responsibility</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  “I didn’t plan my routes very well for this weather.  I promise I’ll make it up to you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” was all Tifa replied with, her voice tiny.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something about its melody made Cloud’s heart begin to race, and now he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> upset with himself for not making it home tonight.  Gritting his teeth, he tried to fling those heated thoughts from his mind.  “How are you and the kids?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re fine,” Tifa answered.  “We just had dinner.  I’m going to let the kids each open one gift before I send them to bed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Tifa,” he murmured again into his device.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tifa let out a little breath.  “It’s okay, Cloud.  I just want you to stay safe.  Call me tomorrow before you leave, okay?  And stay safe driving on the roads.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay.  I will.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Cloud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Tifa.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud hung up his PHS, flinging it to one side, shaking his head in disbelief.  He glanced at the heavy flannel bedding that bordered the bed, and although the quilts seemed warm, they were nothing like his own, soft sheets back home, not nearly as comforting as the fluffy fleece blankets that Tifa kept over their bed in the winter to stave off the deep Edge chills that even their small kerosene heaters couldn’t suppress.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, he pulled the covers back, climbing into the bed and dragging them over him.  He tried to push Tifa from his thoughts, the disappointment that he was sure had settled into her, the way that she would have to sit the kids down to open their Yule Eve gift while explaining to them that he wasn’t going to make it home that night.  How uncomfortable would it be for her to have that conversation?  He had tried so hard to make sure that he’d never put her in that position again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Laying back with his arms crossed behind his head, Cloud closed his eyes and tried to force back his bitter thoughts, willing sleep to come with the hope that tomorrow he could find a decent gift and somehow make this up to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Aww!  Look at this!  He came back to wish us a happy holiday.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud looked up from where he sat crouched on the ground, his vision enveloped in white and green.  At the sound of the sunny voice, he turned, finding a field of wildflowers eclipsing his vision, the sun high in a bright blue sky, butterflies dancing in intermittent loops across the expanse.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Just a few feet beyond, a woman in a pink and white dress was leaning back against a man who was dressed fully in deep indigo, his legs on either of the woman’s lithe body as she leaned back into his chest.  She giggled breathily, and he brushed a long, wavy lock of chestnut brown hair out of her face before he tucked a yellow lily behind her ear.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud sat up over his knees, pressing his fingertips to his temple as he shook his head a little.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Aerith?” he asked, incredulous.  “Zack?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Zack laughed loudly, leaning back on his hands, upsetting the patches of flowers around him.  Aerith snickered again, turning her attention fully to Cloud now, her jade-green eyes sparkling and bright.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Who else, silly?” she asked.  “Now, what are </span>
  </em>
  <span>you</span>
  <em>
    <span> doing here?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“He’s here for the same reason he always comes to see me,” Zack answered, laughing lightly.  “He needs somebody to talk to about Tifa.   This is guy talk, babe.  Maybe you should leave us alone for a little bit.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m not going anywhere,” Aerith insisted, “So, Cloud, what’s wrong?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud just shook his head, turning away from them both.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Don’t be a sour Tonberry,” Zack insisted.  “This is the happiest time of the year!  You can’t let every little thing get you down.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You know she doesn’t blame you for missing Yule Eve, right?” Aerith coaxed.  “You can’t blame yourself for some bad weather.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m sure whatever you decide to give Tifa will make her happy,” Zack added.  “But with a girl like her, you know it’s the thought that counts, right?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud groaned, embarrassed, still not wanting to look up at them or engage in this conversation.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I think I have an idea,” Aerith said.  “Maybe he just needs a little push.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“What do you mean, Babe?”  Zack was leaning forward again, wrapping his arms around Aerith’s shoulders.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“A trip down memory lane, you know?  I think he might get some inspiration.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud opened his mouth to say something, but his words were trapped somewhere deep in his throat.  Instead, all he could do was watch as Aerith lifted her graceful fingers and flicked her wrist, and before Cloud knew, his vision was turning white again, and the wildflowers were gone.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Cloud?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He turned, finding her standing on the other side of the fence between their houses.  She was wearing a thick, cherry-red coat, and even in the darkness, he could see under the lamplights the way that her eyes glittered and matched its color.  Her cheeks were a similar rosy hue, stung by the cold.  She had the fur-rimmed hood of her coat pulled up over her head, snowflakes gently falling in light tufts before they melted into the fabric, her dark hair pulled and spilling out to one side.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He watched a few flakes descend, before his eyes settled back on to her face, finding her irises deep honeypots of crimson warmth.  She was smiling, her lips full and spread, making his heartbeat rise.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He was only wearing a hoodie over his jeans and his long-sleeved t-shirt - despite his mother’s insistence, he had forgone his coat, thinking he was only going to be out here for a little while.  He’d instantly regretted the decision; it was lightly snowing outside and the temperatures had dipped into the teens.  The flurries were wind-whipped by the gales that descended from Mount Nibel in the distance beyond, pulling through his hair and leaving his cheeks bright.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hey, Tifa.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The fence wasn’t very high, and even though both of them were short, they could see each other’s faces over it clearly.  Tifa was smiling at him, now showing her perfect line of white teeth, and Cloud, fourteen years old, couldn’t stop thinking about how pretty she was.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>After school that day - it was the last day of school before Yule break - Tifa had splintered away from her usual group of friends and pulled him to the side, asking him to meet her outside between their houses that evening after supper.  It was their usual spot, where they would venture sometimes to talk to one another, since Cloud was always too shy and afraid to approach her when she was around her friends or with so many other kids around at school.  But he never minded meeting her outside like this, where it was just the two of them.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He didn’t know what to say, scratching the back of his neck and looking away from her, finding her piercing scarlet gaze too intense to focus on.  Usually, whenever they spent time together, Tifa was the one to do all of the talking.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I wanted to give you something,” she blurted after a long moment of silence passed. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud looked back up at her, blinking against the snowflakes.  </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Give me something?” he repeated, feeling a line of sweat grow under his collar.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Of course, silly!” she giggled.  “It’s Yule, right?” she held up a small, red gift bag, giving it to him over the fence.  Cloud hesitated for a moment, staring at the shining paper, but Tifa wiggled it in front of his eyes, and he carefully took it from her.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“But I didn’t get you anything,” he whined, pouting at her across the wooden barrier that separated them.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Tifa just continued to grin.  “It’s okay, Cloud,” she told him, reaching over to brush a spike of his yellow hair out of his face.  “My mom used to say that it’s the thought that counts, and I know you were thinking about me - right?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud felt his entire face light up, and he was looking away, his pout deepening into an exposed scowl.  The last thing he wanted was for Tifa to know just </span>
  </em>
  <span>how</span>
  <em>
    <span> much he </span>
  </em>
  <span>had been</span>
  <em>
    <span> thinking about her.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She giggled at his embarrassment, but she quickly discarded it, tilting her head to one side as her gloved hands gripped the rail of the fence.  “Just open it, Cloud,” she told him.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Shouldn’t I wait until Yule?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Tifa shook her head vigorously. “No, I want you to open it now!” she was practically jumping up and down on her booted feet, her long brown-black hair cascading over her shoulder where it peered from beneath her hood, stained with the wetness of descending snowflakes.  “Please?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“…Fine.”  Cloud offered her a smirk, then pulled the bag open by its straps.  It was stuffed full of white tissue paper that was peppered with glitter, already sticking to his skin.  He shifted it to the side carefully, digging through the bag until his fingers brushed against something soft and flat, and he scooped it up into his fingers, withdrawing it from the bag.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He pulled it out, the snow still falling gently and drifting onto the tops of his hands as he turned the gift over in his fingers.  It was a small, thin strip of woven blue and red string, the pattern an interlocking chain of chevrons that culminated into a loop on one end and a knotted trail of string on the other.  He blinked, finding it pretty but not really sure of what it was.  He looked up at her inquisitively, catching her smiling.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s a friendship bracelet!” she gushed when he stood there staring at her with his mouth hanging open in bewilderment.  “We made them in art class this cycle.  My teacher told us to pick out something that symbolizes us and our best friend for the colors.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Best friend?” Cloud repeated, dumbfounded.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Impossibly, Tifa’s grin widened. “Do you know what the colors symbolize?” she asked him, blowing past his question as if it had been rhetorical.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud looked back down at the bracelet.  Blue.  Red.  </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“No,” he replied after a moment.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Our eyes!” she exclaimed, the excitement coloring her voice.  “Your eyes are blue, and mine are red.  Our eyes are a match, because blue and red make purple, and purple is the prettiest color.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud was really blushing now, and he was instantly grateful that the wind was so cold that it gave his cheeks an excuse to be so pink.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“T-thanks, Tifa.  I like it a lot.  It’s really pretty.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just like you</span>
  <em>
    <span>, he wanted to add.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Can I help you put it on?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud nodded, rolling up his left sleeve and lifting his arm up over the fence.  He handed her the bracelet, and Tifa carefully looped it around his wrist, tying the string through the knotted end and securing it in a loose hold.  Her knuckles brushed warm against his skin, and Cloud felt his entire body heat up as if he wasn’t standing in the middle of a cold snowfall.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He pulled his arm away, stopping for a moment to admire the bracelet on his wrist, before he dropped his hands into his pockets and then looked back at her, catching her bright, sunny smile, her glossy lips shining under the stars and the nearby streetlights.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Thanks,” he said again, his mind already turning over, trying to figure out what he would get her in exchange that could even compare.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Happy Yule, Cloud,” she told him, and then she was leaning over the fence, and she pressed her lips to his cheek in a quick kiss, searing his flesh forever.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Remove all of his clothing.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He could hear a distant shuffling somewhere in his peripheral, but the sound was vague and too far away, echoing into his senses.  The voices around him were muffled by the deep, throbbing pain in the center of his chest, an ache that burned and now had begun to pulse throughout his entire torso.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>There was a grunted affirmation, and then he felt hands roughly but methodically begin to pull at his arms and legs, his boots tugged off of his feet, and soon every layer of his clothing torn or cut away.  He felt the smarting sting of pain when the fabric clung to his wounds, sticky with the blood that had dried to his skin as they tried to tear it all away.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And all he could do was sit through hazy, drugged sleepiness, unable to see anything but blurred shapes that were bordered by black and red.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“What about this?” the second voice said, tugging at his wrist, and he lolled his head to one side, his temple beginning to ache.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Just cut it off,” the first voice responded with nasty frustration. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He felt his wrist lifted, then the distinct ’snip’ before something warm, something </span>
  </em>
  <span>special</span>
  <em>
    <span>, slipped away forever.  He wanted to cry out at its loss, but he was stilted and stuck, trapped in paralysis under an apparition of pain and sedation and fear.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Burn everything,” the first voice ordered.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It was the last thing he heard.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud found Tifa sitting on the ledge of the water tower, alone, late at night.  He’d been looking for her everywhere after their party had split up to search Nibelheim, and everyone had returned to the inn late that afternoon to take supper, except for her.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Being in their hometown had not only drudged up old memories, but had dragged him and Tifa both through misery when they realized that the town they stood in the center of was a mockery of their past, a gloating reconstruction fabricated by Shinra in an elaborate cover-up of the original events, when Sephiroth had murdered everyone and burned their homes to the ground.  The grief and the anger had been far too overwhelming, and Tifa had broken off from their group before he even announced that they should split up to search.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He had been worried about her feelings the entire day as he, Barret, and Red XIII visited a few houses and spoke to some locals, all of whom chastised him for his failed memories, calling his recollections of those days five years ago outward lies.  He couldn’t only imagine how Tifa might have been feeling about all of this, especially since she had nearly died that day.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He’d searched for her, it dawned on him finally to check the water tower.  As he suspected, she was sitting there at its apex, leaned back on her hands, kicking her legs out in front of her, staring up at the stars.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It was cold - late December - and as night fell, the temperatures dropped deep into the low twenties. Even from the ground, Cloud could see Tifa’s tiny puffs of air as she exhaled into the night.  He glanced over at her attire - her exposed arms and her short skirt, only her legs wrapped tight in her stockings.  His vision enhanced, he could tell from where he stood that she was shivering.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Compelled by a force that lived deep inside of him, Cloud began to climb the ladder quietly, making his way to the top and carefully navigating the narrow ledge.  The back of his mind was instantly flooded with his memories of that night all those years ago, when he’d called her out here to meet him so that he could tell her that he was leaving to become a SOLDIER, and when she’d asked him to promise to be there for her if she needed to be saved.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He’d realized in the last three weeks since he’d found himself in Midgar and reunited with her, ever since that memory had returned to him, that he was doing everything in his power to live up to that promise, that he was going to be there for her in more ways than she had originally meant, no matter the current trials they were entrenched in.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Tifa?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She turned to him, and he made his way around to her, falling into a seat beside her, pulling one knee up to his chin.  He noticed at once that her garnet eyes were glassy and that her cheeks were wet.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Cloud…”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Have you been crying?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He wanted so badly to reach out to her.  He’d seen too many of her tears lately.  There had been the moment in Aerith’s garden, and then in Gongaga, when she’d fled from that SOLDIER’s house.  Even in Cosmo Canyon, when they had sat around the Candle discussing their next move after they’d learned about the truth about the Planet, her eyes had been misty.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It made his insides hurt, made his throat tight and made his palms itch as he tried to figure out what to do about it.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m sorry,” she replied, wiping her cheek and turning away from him so that he could only stare at her profile as she looked back up at the dark night sky, lit up by luminous white and sapphire dust.  “I just… it’s hard being here.  So many memories, but all of them are corrupted by what Shinra’s done here.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yeah,” Cloud agreed, not sure of what else to say.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Tifa heaved a sigh.  “It’s… it’s almost Yule.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud stopped, letting that thought settle into him.  He hadn’t been keeping very good track of the days on the calendar, much less paying attention to any holidays.  He nodded, realizing that they were only a few days away from Yule and then the New Year.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It was always my favorite holiday,” Tifa sniffed, “But… it’s been strange these last few years, being away from home… home being gone, burned down.  Everyone dead.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud winced a little at that, then turned to her again, his eyes falling to her midnight black lashes where they lay against the pale crests of her stained cheeks.  She was staring down at her gloved hands, running her fingers over the leather and metal across her knuckles.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“We still have each other,” he reminded her gently. “We’re both still alive, Tifa.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She sighed gently, exhaling a slow breath, and he saw the corner of her lip turn up into a faint smile.  She turned to him fully then, and he saw her eyes scan over his face, hovering at his lips before they crawled back up to his eyes quickly.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Do you remember our last Yule together?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud blinked, feeling suddenly pinned and cornered by the starlight behind those crimson eyes.  He swallowed carefully, resisting the urge to wet his lips with his tongue as he stared back at her.  His memories were still scattered, still broken and repressed.  There were huge gaps that he hovered over, staring into a bleak, threatening pit of black that kept him separated from years and years of truths that he was still trying to access.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“…Not really,” he admitted sheepishly, now looking away from her and lowering his chin.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She held her smile, nodding in understanding as she looked back at the sky.  She offered the heavens a little smile.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It was the last Yule before you left for SOLDIER,” Tifa began softly, and he realized that she was leaning in a little closer to him.  “We met outside at the fence between our houses.  I… gave you a present.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud turned to look at her again, unable to stop himself and the pull that was dragging him in her direction.  Her warmth was suddenly seeping into his bare arms, and he felt his palms begin to tremble with the desire to reach out for her, to take her hand, or to maybe put his arm around her.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“A present?” he repeated, feeling ashamed he couldn’t remember this happening.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“A friendship bracelet,” she mused with a little sigh.  She started swinging her legs back and forth, and Cloud felt a slight stabbing pain at his temples, the borders of his mind suddenly assaulted by the memory of blue and red threads. He brought his hand to his head, wincing at the images of the flurries of snow and the bright rosy cheeks and dark hair that flashed in front of him.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You were kinda upset that you didn’t get me anything,” she laughed. “But I told you that it was okay.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud felt his cheeks burn up.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I guess you don’t have the bracelet anymore,” Tifa added sadly.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud looked down at his wrists, bound in leather and heavy iron gauntlets and bracers.  Every night, he pulled all of this armor off, unwrapping the thick bandaging to let his skin breathe.  The next morning, he would pause to rewrap his wrists with clean gauze, sheathing his hands and wrists once again.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Never once did he remember seeing that blue and red bracelet.  The last time he had seen it had been so long ago, and his memory of what happened to it or where he had lost it was scattered.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m sorry, Tifa,” was all he could say.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She laughed again, but it was a light, melancholy sound, and then she was leaning against his shoulder, reaching her hand out for his.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Feeling his heart begin to pound, her warmth draping over him like a quilt, he gently lifted his arm to wrap around her, a tentative hold on her shoulders.  His other hand slid across his lap, carefully accepting hers and twining their hands together, giving her an affectionate squeeze.  With the movement, she leaned in even closer, and Cloud tilted his head back, looking back up at the stars as he held her gently.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>They never spoke about the bracelet again.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud woke early the next morning, staring up at the ceiling of the inn, the sunlight tearing through the blinds across the room, brightening the room as it bounced off the sheets of snow that were layered over the streets outside.  He blinked against the shine, feeling his retinas burn, and he sat up slowly in the bed, shaking his head out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The memories had wrapped themselves thick around his skull throughout his dreams, and now they were vivid paintings hung at the forefront of his mind, the red and blue bracelet pulsing with a glowing brightness in the center of the frame.  Absently, he looked down at his naked wrists, gently rubbing the skin of both with his fingertips.  Sighing slightly, he pulled the covers away and swung his legs out of the bed, shaking his head out as he wrestled the covers back and thought about the dreams and about Zack and Aerith’s words.  Running his fingers through his hair, he reached for his PHS.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was just a little after seven AM. Glancing out of the window, it seemed that the snow had finally stopped. If he showered quickly and got moving, he could make it home to Tifa and the kids by mid-morning, hopefully before the kids started to open their gifts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A short time later, when he was finally dressed, Cloud went downstairs to return the keys at the counter.  He noticed the Yule tree in the center of the inn’s main living room, a family seated in front of the hearth.  The proprietor, an older man with thinning gray hair, accepted the key from Cloud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you enjoy your stay?” the man asked him.  “The roads should finally be a bit more clear now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Cloud replied, though his mind was elsewhere.  “Um, do you know where I could find a jeweler?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A jeweler?” the innkeeper repeated.  “Well, of course, there’s one right here in town.  Robinson is one of the best on the continent.  But… It’s Yule morning.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Cloud responded.  “I just… it’s kind of an emergency.   Do you think he would give me a few minutes of his time?  I don’t need anything fancy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The old man gave a hearty chuckle.  “What happened, son?” he asked, his eyes twinkling in the accompaniment of a knowing smile.  “Forget to pick up your lady’s gift before you headed home?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Something like that,” Cloud admitted, looking down at his leather-bound hands as his cheeks grew warm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The innkeeper’s smile deepened.  “Well, I guess you best be glad that old Robinson is a friend of mine.  I can’t make any promises, but I’ll see what I can do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks,” Cloud replied, unable to stop himself from glancing at the time on his PHS’ screen.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>It was a few hours later - close to noon, already - when Cloud was finally driving Fenrir along the strip of highways that led back to Edge, leaving Kalm in his wake.  The roads were still icy, so he had to drive carefully, but at least since the blizzard itself had stopped, visibility was clear.  Tifa’d already texted him twice to check on him, and both times he’d replied by saying he was on his way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t making as good a time as he had hoped, but that couldn’t be helped.  The Kalm jeweler, Robinson, hadn’t exactly been in a rush, and Cloud had to wait almost two hours before he agreed to meet with him at his shop on the other side of the small village.  Cloud didn’t dare complain, though, knowing that the man was already doing him a favor by taking time out of his holiday to open his shop for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Cloud had described what he was looking for, Robinson laughed and informed him cooly that he was a jeweler and not an arts and crafts shop.  Cloud had bristled at this, but the jeweler was jovial enough to show Cloud a few things that might fit what he was looking for, and, after a while, Cloud had chosen something that he thought would be perfect, his mind turning over with a new idea as he skimmed the shop’s collection.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had wanted to get home much, much earlier than this - it was bordering on one in the afternoon, and he was certain that the kids had been too impatient and had probably opened their gifts already. Still, all he could do was grit his teeth and push Fenrir’s engine as hard as it would go as he navigated the slick highways carefully into Edge, then pulled along their narrow, poorly constructed streets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t long before he reached Seventh Heaven, pulling Fenrir into the garage at the back of the building.  As soon as he killed the engine, Cloud realized how cold and dirty he was, having redressed in his same clothes from the night before.  There was nothing he wanted more than to strip out of these clothes and shower, putting on something comfortable before sitting in front of the hearth with Tifa curled up beside him while the kids played with their new toys.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entranced by that thought, he climbed off of the bike, pulling the small gift bag from one of its compartments.  Running the back of his hand across his forehead, Cloud made his way inside of Seventh Heaven.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could already smell the rich scents of Tifa’s cooking greeting his senses as he walked through the back hallway - it smelled like she was roasting beef, and the air was puckered by the sweet aromas of herbs and spices - and Cloud’s mouth began to salivate as he realized he hadn’t eaten since last night when he’d first arrived at the Kalm Inn.  The thought of it put even more pep in his step as he made his way inside of the bar.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tifa was behind the counter, a book in front of her as she turned the pages quietly as she read.  Cloud stopped a few feet behind her, quiet and still, glancing around the room as he looked around, not seeing the kids anywhere.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He started to open his mouth, letting his eyes fall over her form.  He realized that her hair was beginning to grow long again, and she’d tied it back into a low ponytail as the base of her skull, her fringe and long tendrils framing her face.  She was dressed in soft, dark brown leggings and a long, bone-colored, turtleneck sweater that hugged the curves of her body snugly and had his eyes instantly glued to her hips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled his mind from the fog her image created, shaking his head instantly, refocusing his eyes as he stared at the profile of her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tifa.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She turned to him at the deep tenor of his voice, seemingly startled and almost dropping her book as she straightened her back.  But as soon as her eyes fell on him, those bright, ruby gemstones sparkled and expanded, and Cloud instantly felt his heart submerge into a pool of warmth at the look of pure joy that erupted across her entire features at his arrival.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cloud!” she exclaimed, and then, she was running in his direction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smirked, his jaw hurting with how much it was threatening to erupt into a grin as he tried to hold his excitement back.  He couldn’t stop himself, though, when she finally threw herself into his arms, wrapping hers tight around his waist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m home,” he said against the top of her head, crushing her against him with his hold now tight around her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was so worried about you,” Tifa cooed into his chest.  “There were so many reports of accidents on the roads last night.  I’m really glad you stayed the night in Kalm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud shook his head.  “I’m sorry I missed Yule Eve, Tifa,” Cloud apologized.  “I know how much you like to celebrate with the kids.  It’s my fault for not planning better.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It doesn’t matter, Cloud,” she purred, pulling away slightly so that she could look up and meet his eyes.  Cloud felt his insides begin to melt even further as he stared into her deep, cherry red pools, and without thinking, he squeezed her tighter in his grip.  “You’re home for Yule, and you’re safe.  That’s all that matters.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud didn’t want to say anything else about it.  Instead, at that moment, he lowered his face and brought his lips to hers, pressing into her warm, pillowy softness for a chaste reunion that sent fire into his veins, burning away the chills of the terrible weather.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They held one another like that for a long moment, before at last, Cloud pulled gently away, smiling down at Tifa as she opened her eyes.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are the kids?” he asked her.  “Did they open their gifts?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I let them open a few,” Tifa responded.  “But I made them wait for the rest until you got home.  They’re in the living room.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go,” he said, eager to see them and for Tifa to open the gift he’d gotten her.  “I have something for you, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> She leveled a smirk of her own at him, but he didn’t miss the way that her eyes danced and her cheeks lit up with a bright pinkness at his words.  “You’re dirty and cold,” Tifa scolded him.  “First, go shower and change.  I’ll make you some coffee and some of the banana bread I baked this morning to hold you over until dinner.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud started to protest, a pout twisting his lips, but Tifa was instantly kissing them again, encouraging his compliance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so he went upstairs, moving quickly through his shower, washing the chills and dirt from his skin, his mind on his gift in that tiny red bag, and how Tifa would react when she opened it.  When he’d finished washing, he pulled his fingers through his messy hair and pulled on sweats and a thick thermal top, sliding his feet into his slippers before he made his way back downstairs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He found Tifa in the bar’s adjacent living room, seated on the couch across from the hearth.  In one corner sat the Yule fir that they’d put up a few weeks ago, still sparkling with a colorful array of fairy lights.  Marlene and Denzel were both seated on the floor, surrounded by a few toys and some of the wrapping paper that they’d pulled off of gifts already.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cloud!” they both seemed to cry at once as soon as they saw him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud couldn’t push aside the joyous feeling that careened through him when the kids both slammed into them, wrapping their arms around his waist.  Laughing, he crouched down a bit to envelop them both in tight hugs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m home,” he told them happily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can we open our gifts now?” Marlene instantly demanded, turning to Tifa.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tifa just laughed, folding her legs under her where she sat back on the couch.  “Hm, I don’t know.  What do you think, Cloud?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud offered both children a simper before he stepped back and fell into a seat on the couch next to Tifa.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eh, I think they should wait a bit,” he chided.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cloud!” Marlene whined, stamping her foot, while Denzel pouted, picking up one of his gifts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud laughed, feeling his heart bubble over with warmth as he looked back at their happy faces.  “Go ahead,” he finally obliged them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The kids began to cheer, turning their attention back to the tree as they pulled out more of their gifts to open.  As this was happening, Tifa had gotten to her feet to retrieve a small box, handing it to Cloud before she curled herself back on the couch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s this?” he asked her, feeling his cheeks heat up again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Happy Yule, Cloud,” she answered him instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud swallowed, turning the small package wrapped in gleaming gold and silver over in his hands carefully.  He had wanted to give his gift to Tifa, but of course, she was one step ahead of him.  Saving his for last, he carefully pulled the wrapping paper off to find a small, wooden box inside.  He pulled away at the tiny metal latch, gently pulling open the box to find a beautiful gold and glass compass inside, emanating a faint green glow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mesmerized, he stared at it, carefully pulling it from the box before he turned it over in his fingers, admiring its detail.  When he glimpsed the back, he noticed the inscription carved into the precious metal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>So you’ll never lose your way.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Love, </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Tifa</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt something burning in his eyes, and he blinked it away, keeping them downcast even as Tifa leaned into him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a materia compass,” She explained, dropping her hand to his forearm.  “It’s aligned to the Northernmost star, but it also can read the planet’s natural energy.  It can direct you toward materia or raw mako sources that are nearby.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow, Tifa,” Cloud finally breathed, dumbfounded.  Where had she found such a treasure?  How much had she paid for this?  “It’s… beautiful.  Where did you get this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nevermind that,” she answered, offering him her sweetest smile, and if the kids weren’t across the room tearing open their gifts, he would have pushed her down on the couch right then and there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love it,” he finally managed to breathe in response.  “Th-thank you, Teef.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughed merrily, reaching for her hot chocolate for a sip.  At that, Cloud remembered the coffee she’d brewed him, and he also paused for a drink, putting his new compass to the side.  Tifa snuggled herself up to him with her mug, watching the kids for a moment before she turned to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you had something for me, too?” she teased him gently with a poke to his ribs.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud swallowed his coffee, his cheeks beginning to burn again as he thought about the little box from the Kalm jeweler in that tiny red bag.  He nodded, swallowing back the doubt and anxiety that flooded his brain, and he set his mug down, reaching for the bag before he handed it to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Happy Yule, Tifa,” he said softly, his voice so low that even the kids couldn’t hear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She smiled warmly, setting down her mug before she accepted the bag and reached inside.  She pulled out the small, black velvet box, her eyes widening and then looking up at him when she realized it was a jewelry box.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Open it,” he coaxed her when she hesitated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He watched her crimson eyes drop again, studying her lashes as she carefully pulled the box open.  Instantly, the shine and the glimmers lit up in those scarlet depths, and she was glancing up at him in pure, unadulterated surprise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Inside of the box was a silver bracelet, surfaced completely with a pattern of thick white diamonds that were bordered by rubies and sapphires.  Its colors sparkled under the glowing light of the fire in the hearth, and Cloud could see the ruby gemstones reflected in her irises.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cloud…” Tifa began her question, stunned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud reached for her hand, interlocking it with his gently.  “Tifa, do you remember the friendship bracelet you gave me the Yule before I left Nibelheim for SOLDIER?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tifa stared at him, her mouth open, before she slowly began to nod her head in affirmation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“… I wore it for all those years.  I cherished it.  But when Hojo took me captive after…” his voice trailed off, and he looked down at her hand in his as the memories burned the back of his brain painfully, threatening his eyes with new tears.  “I lost it.  They took it from me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked back up at her, only to realize that her eyes were beginning to well and mist over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You said that you chose the colors because of our eyes,” he went on.  “I… I can never replace that bracelet, Tifa.  But I’ll always remember it.  And…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He released her hand just long enough to remove the gemmed bracelet from the box, noting that her hand that was still gripping it was shaking.  He wrapped his hand around her palm to steady and calm her, and he heard her breath catch as he did so.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“…This is a new friendship bracelet, Tifa,” he told her.  “You’re my best friend.  Always.  But you’re so much more than that, and so is this bracelet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her lips parted in response, but no words came out.  Without another word, Cloud carefully undid the clasp of the bracelet and brought it around her left wrist, locking it closed and sliding it across her skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This bracelet is… it’s a new promise,” he continued, taking both her hands in his now.  “I… want to be with you forever, Tifa.  I want you to be my wife.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tifa gasped, and then she began to sob, instantly drawing the attention of Marlene and Denzel, who stopped rifling through their new toys to turn in their parents’ direction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cloud!”  Tifa exclaimed, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as she cried with elation.  Cloud could only grin as his own tears began to fall, and he squeezed her tight, before gently releasing her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you asking me to marry you with this bracelet?” Tifa finally asked, wiping her eyes, admiring the gemstones that glittered on her wrist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud couldn’t stop the sheepish grin that erupted on his face, nor could he curtail the flames that crept up his neck. “Y-yeah,” he finally answered.  “I thought it would be better than a ring.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He started to scratch the back of his neck, now embarrassed, but Tifa wrapped her arms around his neck again and was kissing him, this time wildly and passionately, an inferno bursting between them.  Cloud held her waist and responded eagerly, and their kiss went on and on, deepening until Cloud was digging his fingertips into her flesh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He only stopped when he heard the click of a flashbulb, and they both pulled away from each other, turning to find Marlene standing a foot away with a device in her hand, aimed at them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait till Yuffie sees this!” she exclaimed.  “Are you guys really getting married?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud groaned, feeling the flesh of his entire face now melting away.  “Did you get her a PHS?” he asked Tifa.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugged, still wearing a happy grin.  “I figure they are both old enough for them now,” she responded.  “I need to be able to reach them when they’re at school or walking home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t wait to show Papa, right Denzel?” Marlene cheered, but Denzel was only smiling at them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad you’re getting married, Cloud,” the boy said to him.  “Now you’ll really be my parents.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud held his smile, but he’d be lying if he said that his insides didn’t boil and turn to goop.  Tifa only laughed, watching as Denzel and Marlene both lost interest in their romantic development and went back to their toys.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, Cloud,”  Tifa was saying at his side, now curled up fully against him.  “And Happy Yule.  I love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud grinned, wrapping an arm around her and holding her close to him as he stared back at the kids playing in front of the tree, the hearth sheltering them all with its warmth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you too, Tifa,” he answered, squeezing her warmth into his own.  “Always.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>FIN</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading!  Happy Holidays!!!</p>
<p>Follow me on Twitter @nitezintodreamz 💜💫</p></blockquote></div></div>
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